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Christopher Perrella, 32, of Vernon, N.J., was arraigned Tuesday in connection with the deaths of two women who were passengers in a BMW that Perrella had been driving and crashed into a house in Warwick on Nov. 4, the DA's Office said.
Perrella, who was also charged with several other counts including driving while his ability to operate the car was impaired by both alcohol and marijuana, when he lost control of the car on a curve, rolling several times before it plowed into the home.
Two rear seat passengers, Emily Carwile, 36, of Vernon, and Jessica Dussault, 30, of Hopatcong, N.J., were pronounced dead at the scene.
Perrella had to be extricated by the Pine Island Fire Department, and a front seat passenger, Joseph Giordano, 32, of Columbia, N.J., was able to get out.
Bail was set by Orange County Court Judge Robert H. Freehill in the amount of $50,000 cash or $150,000 bond. Perrella is next scheduled to appear in County Court on June 14.
“Fatalities caused by those who drive while impaired by alcohol or other substances are as tragic as they are preventable,” said Hoovler. “I thank the Town of Warwick Police Department and the New York State Police Accident Reconstruction Unit for their investigation of this matter during the grand jury investigation. My deepest condolences go out to the family of both of the deceased women in this case.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christopher Kelly and Assistant District Attorney Robert DeMono.
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